Tag: Camping

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The Heart of the Forest

This was a much needed break and an eventful weekend. I started the day by driving Lucas to school and saying goodbye to him for what I thought was a week. He was heading off to Florida with his Mum for a well deserved holiday for them both. I made my way down to the south coast, Barton on Sea in relatively good time, with a small amount of kit for my first camp of 2025. I walked along the cliff top to Naish and ended up in the holiday park and you needed a code to exit the park, one issued to residents only. Frustratingly, I made my way back out of the main entrance and along a coastal walk called Chewton Bunny nature reserve, I successfully made a young lady jump out of her skin, I apologised and continued walking. As I made it to the beach, I walked along the sand and pebbles to High cliff and then made my way up to the spiral.

I thought about buying an ice cream but didn’t, I wanted to walk further along the coast up to Mudeford Quay, a place I love visiting but I ran out of time. Mainly because I wanted to get to the campsite, set up and head out again for a night walk through the forest. I chose the option of walking on the beach instead of back up the cliff and along the main road. There is a restricted section that you are advised not to walk along, an area that is signposted if you walk from Barton but not if you walk from Highcliff. When I was walking back, I noticed there weren’t any other people or dog walkers etc, it was a secluded section, a woman appeared out of the sea and went and sat down on a rock in front of me, roughly 30 metres. As I was walking towards her, she started to take off her swimming costume, I mean not just take down her top but completely remove it, bottom as well. I raised my hand to my face to do the horse blinkers and she said

“Sorry, I’m not an exhibitionist, I am a swimmer”

I thought ‘err yes you are, me dear’,

I said “It’s ok, I’m not looking”.

She only had to wait two minutes for me to pass and I wouldn’t have looked back. That was her choice. Boobs on a beach in Barton.

Anyway, I arrived at the New Forest YHA, chose my spot and set up in about 15 minutes. The kitchen there was very good as I would expect for a YHA. I had tofu and rice for my supper and then headed out for my night walk. You can hear my adventure below 👇.

Recorded on my Tascam DR-40X, Edited on a Raspberry Pi5.



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South Holland

10 years in the making

Lucas and I had at this point visited Cornwall on holiday twice, 2018 and 2019, he loves it but I thought we needed to do more. I suggested we bike ride around south Holland. He loves riding like me, he is/ was good at it and Holland is mostly flat. I planned it in my usual way to the finest detail. Then the pandemic hit and that idea went out of the window and back to Cornwall we went for 2020/ 21/ 22 /23 & 24 already.

I booked 5 nights and 6 days, 3 campsites, travel insurance and the ferry, I then discovered my passport was out of date, so I got a crappy new blue one. Then got a spin bike… which we barely used, that proposed another problem all together. Lucas and I had completed a a couple of rides each leading up to it. That was a concern, the total route was roughly 50 miles over the 5 days and I was worried if I was pushing him too hard and reality dictates I was. He handled it like a champion, he did the whole journey with bag on his back. I am proud!

The trip was amazing, from the moment we left the ship, I knew I had made the right decision. The first people we met we incredibly friendly and helpful. We met an English Chap called ‘Bang’ on the ride onto the ship and he was on his way to India by bike and was trailing a trailer, something I confess, I didn’t think of. After seeing his, I realised how much of a good idea that was. I was carrying our clothes in a rucksack on my back, I didn’t see anyone doing that across the whole trip.

We rode with Bang and his trailer in tow (he was looking for a campsite and I told him about ours) to the camping Hoek Van Holland site and he got the plot next to ours. On the other plot was a youth group having an amazing time with music, which they promptly turned off at 10:30pm. It was a clean site, with good showers but this day, the Friday was the big day. Over 20 miles to cover to the next campsite. No need to cover this again, but it was a lovely ride, mostly flat. The scenery was breathtaking and it was a beautiful day. We arrived at camping Maaldrift in good time and set up. Then we rode to the beach. The reason for being in this year was to visit the theme park Duinrell and it was a lot of fun. I never would have of imagined we would spend every day at the beach in Holland and it was amazing sunny weather.

Lastly and the finale to our trip was a visit the space Expo an excellent place. This is a design and test place for ESA, we saw the ISS modules and satellites and the new Roslind Franklin rover.

Till next year.

Waiting to board

Cabin style

The power

Campsite Hoek Van Holand

Campsite Maaldrift

A satellite

Soyz

On board Columbus

Galileo

The Camp of good hope/ Camping op van Zeggen

10 years from commute to adventure

12 Euro’s each

Journey’s end

Follow our route



The Podcast recorded in South Holland (Maaldrift & Noordwilk) 29th July 2024

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Test flight on a single speed.

With very little if any practice, Lucas and I are off to south Holland tomorrow for a ride up the coast to mid Holland.

I have rebuilt both bikes with new parts and tested the single speed with all the weight on it. I just rode 5km. It felt really heavy but manageable. I wasn’t wearing my backpack, so there’s that.

I found the faster I rode, the easier it was to control and manage. The slower speed was really difficult and the small slopes, I had to walk up, with a single speed which usually would really be easy.

I feel better about the whole thing now and I am still worried for Lucas, Friday will be a 20 miler. My Boy is strong.

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